taco lime chicken

Taco Lime Chicken

July 3, 2022 5 Comments

This easy to make Taco Lime Chicken requires only three ingredients and packed with flavor.

Taco Lime Chicken

From the recipe collection of Tara Ippolito

I love easy to make recipes like this Taco Lime Chicken.

With only three ingredient’s it doesn’t get any more simple than this one.

taco lime chicken cover

All you need is chicken thighs, fresh limes and a taco seasoning packet. That’s it!

It’s my favorite lazy summer marinade.

I make this recipe a lot of barbecues and cook outs but I especially love it for tailgating.

taco lime chicken on the grill

That’s actually exactly what I made for my tailgate at the Dave Matthew’s Band concert last week.

I can prepare the chicken in the marinade the night before. Then all I have to do is show up to the tailgate and grill it.

grilling at the tailgate
Making Taco Lime Chicken at the Dave Matthew’s Band Concert

This taco lime chicken is so flavorful that it doesn’t even need a dipping sauce.

Just pop it on the grill and you’re done.

This is absolutely a family favorite recipe around here.

taco lime chicken finished

I know if you give it a try that you’ll love it, too!

Other Marinades

If you like simple marinades like this one and enjoy grilling here are a few other recipes you’ll love, too.

the best ever streak marinade

Do I have to use chicken thighs?

Technically no you do not have to use chicken thighs but I do recommend them.

Thighs have more fat and stay juicer when they’re being grilled.

mixing the taco lime chicken

It’s almost impossible to overcook them so the they’ll never be dry. Dry chicken is the worst!

Other cuts of chicken like thighs or breasts would work here, too.

grilling chicken

Even bone in chicken thighs would be great. Just cook them whole instead of cubing them up like I did.

Can I use lemons instead of limes?

Yes, you can use lemons in this recipe instead of limes if you’d like.

I personally prefer the taste of the limes with the taco seasoning. I just think it’s a better paring.

fresh limes

If you don’t like the flavor of limes or just have some lemons you’d like to use up then go for it!

Do I have to use a taco packet?

You absolutely do not need to use a pre made taco seasoning packet.

taco seasoning packet into chicken

I just love the convenience and prices of the seasoning packets so I always have them on hand.

If you have a homemade taco seasoning you’d like to use that would be great! Go for it!

Do I really have to marinate this taco lime chicken over night?

If you don’t have that kind of time you really don’t need to marinate this chicken over night.

Again, I’d recommend it.

chicken on the grill

Just so you’re sure that the chicken really takes a hold of all that great flavor.

But if you don’t have the time, you don’t have the time.

marinating taco lime chicken

Just leave it in the fridge for as long as you can. I’d say a minimum of 2-4 hours.

Anything beyond that is just going to give you more and more flavor.

How to use Taco Lime Chicken

I love this recipe to eat on its own. I just grill it up and eat it as is.

If you’d like to do something a little different try making this chicken as a taco salad topping.

finished taco lime chicken

This recipe could be a great topping to any salad actually.

I’ve also sliced this chicken up and put it into tacos. So great and easy to do!

What to serve with Taco Lime Chicken

There are so many options to serve with this taco lime chicken.

Of course you can pick whatever you’d like bud here are some great suggestions that are also easy to make.

Mexican street corn casserole

Taco Lime Chicken Ingredients

taco lime chicken ingredients
  • Chicken Thighs
  • Fresh Limes
  • Taco Seasoning Packet

Instructions

First, cube up the chicken thighs into about two inch pieces.

cubed chicken thighs

Now add them to a shallow bowl/ large ziplock bag or anything you’d like to marinate them in.

cubed chicen thighs

Then squeeze fresh lime juice all over the cubed chicken.

lime juice being squeezed

Mix into the chicken until it’s all evenly coated in the lime juice.

Now sprinkle the taco seasoning packet on top of the chicken.

taco seasoning packet going on to the chicken

Mix that into the chicken until all of the pieces are evenly coated.

mixing the seasoning into the chicken thighs

After that, cover the chicken with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge overnight.

taco lime chicken marinating

Finally when you’re ready to make the chicken, remove it from the fridge and cook it however you’d like.

grilling chicken

Just be sure that the middle is cooked all the way through and it reaches an internal temperature of 165°.

grilling taco lime chicken

Let the chicken cool slightly and serve. Enjoy!

finished taco lime chicken

Taco Lime Chicken Recipe Video

Taco Lime Chicken

There's only 3 ingredients to this incredible Taco Lime Chicken recipe.
Course: Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: lime chicken, taco chicken, taco lime chicken

Ingredients

  • 1 1.25oz Taco Seasoning Packet
  • 2 pounds Chicken Thighs
  • 1 large Lime, juiced

Instructions

  • First, cube up the chicken thighs and place them in a medium sized bowl.
  • Now squeeze all the lime juice that you can get over the chicken and mix it in.
  • Then sprinkle the taco seasoning packet on top and mix that in, too.
  • Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator over night
  • Cook the chicken however you'd like and enjoy.
Tara Ippolito

About Al Dente Diva

Tara Ippolito is a self taught home cook from New Jersey and cookbook author of Fast, Simple, Delicious. Better known as “T” across social media, she makes easy to follow recipes using familiar ingredients. T uses her Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest channels to share recipes and cooking tips for everyday people. Her motivation to share with her followers is simple. To inspire people to cook and become more comfortable in the kitchen.

As a wife and busy mother of two little boys she she’s always cooking fast family friendly meals. Sharing her kitchen with others that want to learn is a true passion of hers. As her social media platforms continue to grow she is committed to delivering consistently delicious content to her followers.

Al Dente Diva

Hello there! My name is T & I’m a home cook from New Jersey. I love to share easy to make recipes, cooking tips & kitchen hacks with people who love to cook like I do. My recipes are all easy to follow & use ingredients most people are familiar with. Being a busy stay at home mother of two, I have to cook delicious budget friendly meals that are fast to make. I hope you find something helpful here. Thanks for coming by.

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5 Comments

  • Marla August 1, 2022 at 11:09 am

    This sounds yummy! Do you know if it would be possible to prepare this and then freeze before cooking, take it out the night before, then cook as usual?

    • Al Dente Diva August 1, 2022 at 3:09 pm

      I’ve never tried that but I’m sure it would work!

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